Throughout our lives at different times, we often yearn for independence, whether it be financial, political, or personal. But when we achieve it, the experience of freedom is often short-lived. Join Fiona Ryder and Sarah Fitzgerald in a conversation exploring: • what true independence really means and how we can attain it • what fears or obstacles get in the way of being more independent • how we can distinguish between providing or taking helpful support and inadvertently fostering over-dependence. Speakers: Fiona, who is based in Cardiff, is a mother of three grown up children and a grandmother. Now retired, Fiona has worked for different charities over the years, as well as for her local council, supporting individuals with mental health issues and special needs. Fiona has been practising Raja Yoga meditation for over 30 years and recently qualified as a Naturopathic Nutritionist. Sarah from Cambridge, UK, is a trained Interior Designer who discovered Raja Yoga in Cambodia in 2009. She now focuses on "real interior design"—inner transformation—and volunteers at the Cambridge Brahma Kumaris centre, supporting events and activities.

How we connect with others and form relationships can fill our lives with meaning and value, or make us deeply anxious, unhappy and insecure. It all depends on the attachment styles we adapt to in our early lives. Speaker: Jude Pemell Our speaker, Jude Pemell, explores the significance of different attachment styles, how we form them, the consequences, and importantly, how to transform unhealthy relationship patterns to find the love, peace and stability that we all seek. Relationships can provide fertile ground for our spiritual and emotional growth. Jude is a Sydney-based writer, filmmaker, and forensic psychotherapist with more than three decades experience in her field. She is also an experienced couple and relationships counsellor. Jude has been meditating since 1983.

In a world filled with constant demands, emotional interactions and competing priorities, keeping a balance can be a struggle. This talk will explore the signs and impact of energy drains, the importance of boundaries and how we can protect, reclaim and recharge our energy. Speaker: John McConnel John McConnel is a stress management trainer and former prison governor and social worker. He has been studying and teaching Raja Yoga meditation with the Brahma Kumaris for over 30 years. John has a strong interest in the practical application of spiritual principles and insights in daily life. He is the author of Breaking Through The Darkness: how to defeat depression, anxiety and stress - a spiritual perspective.

We are living in a time of transformation. Political, economic, environmental, and social challenges are reshaping our world. While these challenges bring instability, they also invite us to imagine something better where all of us, and the planet we call home, can flourish. Join us for an inspiring conversation where we will: • Explore the root causes of today’s challenges • Create a new vision for sustainable living • Share ideas and practical steps toward collective wellbeing. This event is an opportunity to connect, reflect, and spark meaningful change. Speakers: Sister Jayanti is the Additional Administrative Head of The Brahma Kumaris. Her compassion, clarity, and tireless commitment to the spiritual dimension of life have inspired millions across the globe to make positive changes in their own lives. She is the BK representative, at the United Nations in Geneva and has headed the BK delegations to UN Climate Change Conferences since 2009. Stewart Wallis OBE, is an advocate for a new economic system. He worked for Oxfam from 1992 to 2002, for which he was awarded an OBE. From 2003 to 2016, he was executive director of the New Economics Foundation. Currently, Stewart is the chair for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll), which is an initiative to create a global new economy movement.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by your to-do-list? Are there things you are neglecting that would energise and enhance your life on any level? It’s easy to get stuck in routines and overlook the potential for joy, growth and creativity in even the smallest ways. Our speaker Eric Le Reste offers some simple yet meaningful strategies to enrich your life and elevate your everyday. Speaker: Eric Le Reste Eric has an extensive background as a journalist and producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news and current affairs programs. For more than 40 years he has been practising Raja Yoga meditation. Based in Montreal, he currently serves as the National Coordinator of The Brahma Kumaris in Canada.

Calmness is the Cradle of Power – Attributed to Josiah Gilbert Holland Calmness is not just a trait but a powerful skill, much needed in a world that often feels chaotic and threatening. It is not passivity or indifference but a state of emotional balance and mental clarity. Panic clouds judgement while calmness opens the door to thoughtful responses. How do we cultivate calm? Is it a quality of leadership and does calmness work in everyday situations, including resolving conflict? Speaker: Maureen Goodman is the Programme Director for the Brahma Kumaris (UK) and oversees the University’s activities in areas such as education, youth, women’s issues, interfaith dialogue and the environment. She is the University’s representative at the United Nations, Vienna and is a member of the Executive Circle of the Spirit of Humanity Forum, a platform for leaders to discover new ways to move forward, based on deep human values. Maureen travels widely giving lectures on themes related to spiritual development.

Everyone looks for the keys to success or to change and many promise that key. But one of the most subtle keys is that of acceptance. To fully embrace ‘what is’ enables us to drop into a place of inner calm and gratitude. From that place and space of non-resistance, new energy, inspiration and wisdom can flow. Discover the sources of strength which underlie acceptance, the ingredients of resistance and the opportunities, both external and internal, that acceptance offers. Speaker: Marcelo Bulk Marcelo Bulk has been associated with the Brahma Kumaris for over 40 years and is the National Co-ordinator of the University’s activities in Colombia. He has worked as a business consultant and facilitator with several major companies in Latin America, Asia and Europe and is currently associated with the Union Consulting Group in Colombia and the Oxford Leadership Academy (UK). Marcelo lectures internationally on topics related to self-leadership, human values and meditation and is the author of The Pathway towards Leadership published in Spanish and Portuguese.

We express our deepest values through our many and varied relationships. Yet at every level of society it is in relationships that we face the most challenges and express both our best and the worst of ourselves. Parmjit Basra shares his understanding and experience of how to create and sustain good and lasting relationships. Speaker: Parmjit Basra Parmjit has been a student and teacher of Raja Yoga meditation for 29 years. He is proactively involved in helping others of all backgrounds, from children to youth to adults, to realise their true potential. He is married with three children and four grandchildren. He has a wealth of life experiences and has worked in Textile Manufacturing, Adult Education and The Building Sector.

Secrets of Abundance | Linda Lee “The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts.” -Marianne Williamson Many equate abundance with financial wealth and material possessions but true abundance touches every area of our lives. More hidden traps also exist - the subconscious beliefs about lack, limitation and not being “good enough”. This talk will look at the shift from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance, how to re-write those limiting beliefs and what to replace them with in order to experience an abundant life. Speaker: Linda Lee Linda Lee is based in Brighton from where she coordinates the activities of the Brahma Kumaris in the locality. Linda has travelled to many countries around the world sharing her enthusiasm for the practical yet simple way of life that the Brahma Kumaris wisdom teaches. She has a deep love for truth and always speaks from her own experience with refreshing honesty and humour.

Conscience is an instrument of the soul. It detects both the distinctions between true and false, as well as ethically right and wrong. Conscience is the friend and guide of those who aspire to moral integrity. It is a reliable life coach, yet paradoxically mostly unheeded, and relegated to the back burner. Where do we stand and what are the steps to bring our inner ear closer to the voice of conscience and further from the voices of social norms? Speaker: Denise Lawrence Denise Lawrence has been a practitioner of Raja Yoga with the Brahma Kumarissince 1974. She is essentially a philosopher, spiritual teacher, author, podcaster and international speaker. She specialises in bridging the gap between ancient Hindu scriptures, mythology and rituals and the current expression of The Bhagavad Gita’s philosophy of spiritual knowledge and practice of Raja Yoga as defined at the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University. She currently lives in Southern France.

Just as musicians need to keep their instruments finely tuned in order to produce beautiful music and be in harmony with other players, so too we can learn the art of tuning into our inner selves whilst tuning out from external influences and distractions. Join our speaker this evening, Gil Fernandes, to explore: What is the purpose and practice of tuning in and tuning out? Why do we get out of tune with ourselves and others? What part does intuition play? Gil was born and grew up in Lisbon. After studying music in Austria, he transitioned to a successful IT career, contributing his skills to diverse industries, including airspace and telecom. In 2007 London beckoned, leading him into a consulting software development venture founded by a fellow meditator. Gil's journey with the Brahma Kumaris began in 1993, complementing his lifelong fascination with different types of yoga practices. Gil offers talks and courses in Raja Yoga meditation.as a member of the Spanish and Portuguese group.